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Simon J. Marks
My background has inspired a desire to contribute toward natural resource management that strikes a careful balance between satisfying the anthropogenic and environmental resource requirements of today with those of the future. With my budding skills in research, hydrology, and statistical analysis, I am applying myself in water resource science as a graduate student. Taking great pride in my work, I hold myself, peers, and collaborators to high standards, while also exuding a calmness to minimize unnecessary stress.
Education
M.S., Environmental Sciences and Management
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
N/A
current - 2019
- Thesis: Estimating transpiration of a mountain meadow encroached by conifers using sap flow measurements
- Expected Fall 2021
B.S., Environmental Management and Protection (minor statistics)
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
N/A
2019 - 2015
- Concentration: Watershed management and hydrology
- Summa cum laude
Research Experience
Graduate Research Assistant
Dr. Chris Surfleet’s Lab
California Polytechnic State University
current - 2019
- Primarily working with sap flow field data to quantify transpiration of a conifer encroached meadow near Chester, CA in a meadow restoration research context
- Managed maintenance of field instruments at meadow restoration study sites and developed R scripts designed to streamline compilation and temporal aggregation of field data
- Performed regression analysis (MLR) to study hydrologic and suspended sediment effects of forest roads at the Caspar Creek Experimental Watershed
Summer Undergraduate Researcher
Dr. Chris Surfleet’s Lab
California Polytechnic State University
Summer 2018
- Completed sub-surface soil sampling, performed soil particle size distribution lab analysis, and computed soil hydraulic properties in support of meadow restoration research- presented results with a poster at an on campus research symposium to conclude the summer
- Cleaned and analyzed storm event peak flow and sediment discharge data collected at the Caspar Creek Experimental Watershed needed for distributed hydrology soil vegetation model (DHSVM) development
Industry Experience
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Intern
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Sacramento, CA
Summer 2017
- Worked within the Office of Spill Prevention and Response on tasks related to injury assessment and environmental sampling including development of environmental reports, field documentation, checklists, and operating procedures
Teaching Experience
Watershed Processes and Management TA
Cal Poly NRES Dept.
San Luis Obispo, CA
current - 2019
- Covered (all field based) streamflow measurement, stream channel and riparian assessment, road erosion hazard rating, and water quality measurement
- Led GIS-based labs applying (geo)spatial analyst tools to watershed management problems
Supplemental Workshops in Science Facilitator
Cal Poly Student Academic Services
San Luis Obispo, CA
2018 - 2017
- Facilitated medium groups of undergraduate students, providing instruction in chemistry and biology coursework and promoting community/collaboration
Academic Publications
Hydrologic and suspended sediment effects of forest roads using field and DHSVM modelling studies
Forest Ecology and Management
N/A
2021
- Authored with Chris Surfleet of the Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo NRES Dept.
Notable Graduate School Course Projects
Evaluation of Lower Scotts Creek Floodplain and Habitat Enhancement Project in HEC-RAS
CE 536: Computer Applications in Water Resources with GIS
N/A
Spring 2020
- Ran steady flow analysis at lower Scotts Creek (near Davenport, CA) to compare floodplain activation between pre and post-restoration states in the context of salmonid habitat improvement
1-Way ANOVA- Model Representations, Power, and Sample Size Tutorial
STAT 431: Advanced Statistical Computing in R
N/A
Spring 2020
- Authored tutorial using the
bookdownpackage, showcasing the means and effects models including their manual implementation via matrix algebra - Demonstrated data viz skills using
ggplot2andgganimatepackages, creating static and dynamic figures communicating the role of power and sample size in ANOVA
Awards and Honors
Hull Graduate Assistantship
N/A
N/A
2019
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Dean’s List
N/A
N/A
2019 - 2015
Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) Scholarship
N/A
N/A
2018